(CNN) – New York Gov. David Paterson, a supporter of Hillary Clinton's White House bid, said Friday the New York senator is showing signs of "desperation" in her continued push to get the full delegations of Michigan and Florida seated.

"I would say at this point we're starting to see a little desperation on the part of the woman who I support and I'll support until whatever time she makes a different determination," Paterson told New York radio station WAMC, according to the New York Daily News. "I thought she was the best candidate and I thought she had the best chance of winning."

The comments come a day after Clinton delivered a fiery speech in Florida demanding that that state's delegation, as well as Michigan's, be fully seated at the party's convention in August. The party stripped both states of their delegations last year after the state legislatures there voted to hold their primaries before February 5.

Clinton won both states' primaries, though Barack Obama removed his name from the ballot in Michigan. Clinton uses popular vote totals from both Florida in Michigan in her claim that she is beating the Illinois senator in the overall popular vote.

“I have heard some say counting Florida and Michigan would be changing the rules,” she said at a rally in Boca Raton. “I say not that not counting Florida and Michigan is changing a central governing rule of this country, that whenever we can understand the clear intent of the voters, their vote should be counted.”

Paterson, a Democratic superdelegate, said he disagreed with the party's initial decision to penalize the states, but added he thought the party should now "leave it where it is."

He also noted none of the presidential candidates - including Hillary Clinton - objected to the penalty when it was imposed last year.

soundoff(412 Responses)

This guy is dead on the money. So dead on the money Hillary will probably take his job as soon as the NY Governorship is up.

May 22, 2008 05:53 pm at 5:53 pm |

Eli

This man is not a Hillary supporter. HILLARY CLINTON as a INDEPENDENT this fall. This is a LIFELONG DEMOCRAT who with many of his friends and family would vote for her as a INDEPENDENT. Otherwise not voting at all.

May 22, 2008 05:53 pm at 5:53 pm |

CLEAN

I am LOLing to all the CLINTON supporters. The more nasty comments you leave just proves who you are as people. NOT SURPRISED AT ALL.

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

Jill

I would still vote for Hillary just because she is a woman. She may not be the best canaditate for President but I think we should have a woman President regardless.

It would also give Bill the opportunity to go back to the White House for another 8 years. He could help her if she doesn't know what to do.

He would be like the Vice President. In fact she could make him Vice President.

Hold ON Hillary don't give up just because you losing. Fight on even if you damage the party. We can still have another 4 years of MaCain. He seems alot like President Bush.

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

Lorri

If Obama is not on the ticket in November, I will write in his name !!!

Never Hillary
Never Clinton

Only Obama '08

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

I'm for hillary

'Leaving it where it is' would disenfranchise democratic voters in 2 states. If this is what the dems want, fine, but they can't win the general election that way. The blame if any should be placed on Dr. Dean who continued to repeat "the rules, the rules" like a robot. Hillary is trying so hard to restore some common sense to this process, but I fear her efforts are wasted. They often steal her ideas, while criticizing her and putting her down, for no other reason than she is a woman. Anyone who has ever worked with males recognizes this scenario.
Remember when obama said 'she's likeable enough' -imagine if she had said that about him.. oh, no she had to say she had the utmost respect for him.. I hope she turns down VP, takes a nice vacation, writes another book, and continues to lead and guide this country from the senate floor, where she no doubt will accomplish more than whoever is the new president. She will be the next Ted kennedy , a 'lion' in the senate, long after the '08 president is forgotten.

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

Hans-Erik Iken

If her own top supporters are saying this in public then why does she still demand this nonsense?

She agreed to the punishmentthinking it wouldn't hurt her chances, now that she needs those states she sucks up again?

I respect her tenacity but I don't respect her 'flexibility' about the rules when she thinks it suits her.

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

Jeff, New York

Paterson is spelled with one "t", not two.

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

Brian M., Allentown

Ann May 22nd, 2008 4:56 pm ET

"I don't think she's desperate….I think she expects to get what is rightfully hers."

How is the presidency rightfully hers? Typical Clintonite, believing in Hilary's so-called entitlement to the White House.

May 22, 2008 05:54 pm at 5:54 pm |

bobby go obama go

Here come the destruction of the Democratic Party. This is a terrible situation when the Democratics are winning in the house and for Hillary to destroy the Democratic party by going to court. Now she, instead of uniting the Democratic Party, is handing it over to the Republican Party. Doesn't McCain just love this, another gift for McCain. Is one sore loser going to destroy the Democratic Party?

Obama '08

May 22, 2008 05:55 pm at 5:55 pm |

pa voter

I didn't see anything here about the Obama /McCain fight . Or can't cnn print it because it shows just how stupid obama is? It shows his lack of knowledge about the armed forces. Why don't you guys print something we all want to read?